Thursday, February 23, 2012

Okay, I've read the best book on patternmaking by Connie Amaden Crawford, and it's a good one, better than the first one I bought. However, once you're "in the field" and dealing with clients, you learn something real fast...you didn't learn everything you need to know. Not by a long shot. Clients will always ask you for something that will be undiscovered territory for you, be it a bra, or tailored suit or, oh horrors (just kidding) an unusual size. Okay so here's what you do.

1. first of all get real practice in, you'll learn soon enough that you want more educational resources

2. even though pattern grading and alterations are actually different job descriptions, as in people get paid to these things, like only those things, as a patternmaker, it would seriously behove you to learn them, and quickly

3. think specialization and seek out the available resources, I'll get specific here

(a) there's a chance someone will want a tailored suit, find books on patterncutting, patternmaking for tailored suites, you need to do lingerie patterns for another client, hurry up and find a book on patternmaking for lingerie, not sewing lingerie, patternmaking for lingerie, this will have more info on what you need where as the sewing type instruction book will have those less fitted designs you could have drafted on your own any way, that's not what your clients are asking for

(b) clients sometimes ask for their own size, they're fashionista designers and they fit into tiny clothes but they aren't the exact size of industry fit models so you need to learn pattern alterations, another reason for this, if a client is in a niche size market, say for a really big cup size and shape, then you'll definitely need pattern alteration skills, go to Amazon and look up pattern alteration books and dvds. Also do a google search for pattern alterations, you'll find ideas on people's blogs, there are a lot of them, as well as books, classes, dvds, see what people are saying before you spend your money though.

(c) definietly get a book on grading, clients don't ask for one little size, your clients will ask for all kind of sizes and the reason you want to know how to grade corrrectly is because you'll need and want to know how to take the basic bodice you know is a perfect fit and grade it into a perfect bodice of another size without serious fitting issues for your new clients.

Speaking of which, I've just ordered Connie Amaden Crawford's Pattern Grading workbook and can't wait to get it, to be sure. I've looked up grading info online and learnt some great stuff, but I don't really have the confidence I need to know, that I know what I'm doing for sure, I just have the courage to keep going. There's a difference, believe me.

Okay, I hope all you fellow aspiring patternmakers out there have found this at least somewhat enlightning. Also, as I collect more educational resources, books and dvds, I'll post the reviews of them here on my blog too. So be sure to come back again.

Good news is too, I was finally able to get through the Squidoo so that I can start editing and publishing changes on my lenses again, so hopefully between my current patternmaking client and article client I'll find a few moments here and there to update my two fashion lenses. Or I might leave it for a few weeks still. I'll make it easy and post announcements here for you guys.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

I started me and Salma's (my daughter) slopers a while back (was it about 2 - 3 weeks ago) but I haven't gotten a chance to cut them out and sew them yet to make a fitting. Once I do I'll develop the torso blocks we need from them. But here they are...I think it's kind of neat...

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Actually, by the time I get to it, my daughter's sloper will probably need to be reworked, hahahaha, but I just had to try it, I graded/altered my size 6 sloper to make ours and it was pretty much a matter of moving the darts and their points in new locations and adjusting the bust side seam and widening the waist side seam and of course (sadly) shrinking the darts.

Than when I had that done for my own, I tried simply shrinking Salma's down by about half, I think it was the overall bodice height measurement or something, many of her measurements were actually almost half or just over half of my own measurements. And I only had to tweek her little bodice a tiny bit afterwards. So cool/cute.

Any way though, I'm not sure if the darts on hers are going to be needed but I'll see once I've got the fabric version sewed up, that will truly be exciting and when it happens I will be sure to post the photos.

Then I'll have to move on to the development of the sleeves as well, that should be interesting. As for my daughter's sloper, I think I'll probably be adding "growing room" ease to hers any way, like may a few inches to the side seams, you know, with a 1/2 " on each side, that will do it. Otherwise I'll make her something cute, like a matching outfit to one of my own, just for her to only wear it once. That would be a bummer. I'm thinking way ahead here, but after designing and drafting some cool patterns for my daughter, I can't wait to post the sewn designs on The Sewing Mamas forum. That's going to be awesome! I got to make the time for that for sure, cross my fingers...my son is going to school at the end of the year and I can't very well go there everyday dressed in the same frumpy clothes, like I've been doing, it would be a disaster. I've also got a pretty little daughter to set a good example for :)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I've just completed my first fitted jacket, pattern and man, I truly understand why it's one of the most expensive garment to have a pattern drafted for. First of all , there are so many pieces, you've got the shell, the facings, the linings to make sure the jacket looks almost as good inside as it does outside and the interfacings that keep the crisp, clean cut look for the jacket. Then you've got to make sure all the pieces correspond with eachother correctly while not being the same shape. This is where careful notches come in.

Actually now that I've drafted a jacket pattern, I'd say that if someone just learnt how to correctly, professionally draft a fitted jacket they'd have the foundation to drafting all other patterns except, skirts and pants that is. I'm just exaggerating here, really, try constructing a bra with what you know about suit drafting, hmm...

When I read that the going rate for coat, jacket/suit and tailored blazer pattern drafting, ranges from $125 on up to $325 (this is actually separated into two categories) I thought it was a bit much, but not after getting a little experience in with the drafting process.

I want to nit pick my working process though to hone it to a perfection. To do this I'm going to use the information provided in the article "How To Hire A Patternmaker" at Design Entrepreneure.com and make up a bunch of colorful mini lists as a computer desktop image so I can go through them each time I complete a client's pattern. :) what a happy solution. I'll post my desktop list on my blog when I've got it completed so all of you fellow patternmakers out there can use it too if you like.

If my patternmaking progress and my blog posts seem a bit slow for a while, it's because aside from doing some patternwork for my clients as well as for myself when I catch a free hour or so, I've also got 5 writting projects to work on for my article client. The workload is heavy right now. But I'll try to keep things at least at a steadier trickle than I did before.

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Here are my updates, ideas, progress, realizations and struggles as a self-taught designer, fashion patternmaker, freelance writer and mother of 2 as I work my way toward reaching my dream of landing a legitimate career in the fashion industry.